Deluded, for their own good
Germany’s Family Ministry is pushing (via) for the children’s book “How Do I Get to God, Asked the Small Piglet” to be included on a list of literature considered dangerous for young people.
The 20 page book, written by Michael Schmidt-Salomon and illustrated by Helge Nyncke, tells the story of a piglet and a hedgehog, who discover a poster attached to their house that says: “If you do not know God, you are missing something!” So they set out to look for “God” and, along the way, encounter a rabbi, a bishop and a mufti. By the end of the book, the hedgehog concludes - reasonably enough - that God probably doesn’t exist and, if he does, he definately doesn’t live in a synagogue, cathedral or mosque.
According to the ministry: “The distinctive characteristics of each religion are made ridiculous.” Which isn’t exactly hard to do.
Alibri, the book’s publisher, has called the ministry’s accusations an “attack on freedom of expression,” and said the book answers the question of whether a nonreligious child is missing part of life “from the perspective of secular humanism.”
Schedel added that the book is intended for nonreligious parents looking to provide their children with a critical view of religion.
“All three religions are treated equally in the book,” he said. “No one is negatively singled out.”
Author Schmidt-Salomon said the book was “desperately needed considering the enormous mass of religious children’s stories.” He added that he the book offers children and their parents the opportunity to read about agnostic beliefs if they choose.
“Children also have a right to enlightenment,” he wrote on a Web site set up dedicated to the book. “They should not be left defenseless to the scientifically untenable and ethically problematic stories of religion.”
The German department responsible for reviewing children’s literature will be discussing whether the book presents a danger to children’s upbringing in a March meeting.
Monday 04 Feb 2008 | Paul | Germany
